Coronation Avenue

The Jubilee is especially important for Maisemore, as it also celebrates the planting of one of the main features of the village – the Coronation Avenue along Church Road, which has the Tower of the Church, as its focal point. Frank Chamberlayne had been farming at Maisemore Court and was Parish Council Chairman for many years and he initiated and organised the scheme for the planting of the trees. He wrote, in 1959:

The Avenue was planted in 1953, to commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the cost being defrayed by subscribers in the parish. A number of elm trees, which were close to the road, had to be felled beforehand to make room for the avenue. Advice was sought from the “Roads Beautifying Association” as to the most suitable variety of tree to plant and the correct distance between the trees. There are a number of varieties of Lime, and we were advised by the nurseryman to plant “Tilia Euchlora”.

As the coronation was actually in June, the trees were planted in the Spring, with the exception of one tree, which was planted in a barrel and the barrel was set in the ground on Coronation Day. The fencing was naturally left for that day and, unfortunately, some cattle were turned into the field, before it was done, with the result that the head of the tree was practically broken off at the point where it was tied to the stake. It was cut off cleanly and it shot out again and grew away well. At the moment, it is difficult to distinguish it from the rest.

Since then, the roadside fences have been removed and some forty years ago, we reshaped the banks, which had been steep and close to Church Road, so that we are now able to mow them in late summer, after the spring flowers have died back. We have also reshaped the trees, which were spreading too much at the bottom and growing into each other.

The Avenue is now enhanced by the Maisemore Lake, which was formed in 1980, and runs back to the Avenue.

Jeremy Chamberlayne

On Saturday, June 1st 2013, a commemorative marker stone was unveiled to mark the true purpose of the avenue for posterity. Charles Martell, the renowned Gloucestershire cheese maker passed through Maisemore in a Coach and Four (horses), accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant, Dame Janet Trotter, on a celebratory journey from Gloucester to Hereford. They stopped here for the Lord Lieutenant to unveil the stone ably assisted by Jeremy Chamberlaine.

Here's a view of Church Road showing the Avenue and the Lake - taken from Bing Maps: